Toy



Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'royV John T. Glidewell, Memphis, Tenn. v Application October 5, 1937, Serial No. 167,463

1 claim. (C1. 46-116) #This invention relates to a toy and more particularly to a toy of the windmill type wherein blades arelcarried by a rotatably mounted shaft and means provided for imparting rotary movement to the shaft.

One object of the invention is' to provide a toy of the rcharacter set forth wherein the body portionl of the toy is of such construction that it will represent a pair of animals, such as horses, with the blade-carrying shaft rotatably mounted between the animals and thus produce an attractive toy and also a toy which may be easily held stationary when set upon a table or the like and operated.

Another object of the invention is to so form and mount the blade-carrying shaft that, while it will be rotatably supported between the animals with blade-carrying portions projecting outwardly from the animals, it will be prevented fro-m shifting longitudinally between the animals and thus maintained in its .proper position and the blades prevented from striking the animals as the shaft is rotated.

Another object of the invention is to provide atoy of this type wherein means has been provided for guiding movement of a cord onto and 01T the blade-carrying shaft when the toy is operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the characterv described consisting of a plurality of parts which are detachably held in an assembled position by removable fasteners and thus permit the toy to be packed in a small container and easily assembled by the purchaser or by a merchant.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken vertically through the toy along the line A-A of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improved toy with a portion thereof shown in section, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

This toy has a frame consisting of side members I which may be formed of wood or any other desired material and are held in spaced relation to each other by front and rear cross bars 2 and 3, screws 4 being passed through the side members and into end portions of the cross bars to firmly secure the side members against ends of the cross bars. Each of the side members is cut to define the outline of an animal, such as a horse, and has supporting legs 5, a neck 6 and a head 1, it being understood that the side members may be cut to represent any desired animal and thus add an attractive appearance to the toy and afford amusement to a small child playing with the toy. In view of the fact -that each of the side members has been provided with a front leg and a rear leg, a four-point support will be provided forv the frame and the frame will be well supported and prevented from turning over when set upon a table or oor during use of the toy. A shaft 8 extends between the side members and located between the neck portions thereof. Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that this shaft is of rectangular outline rbetween the side members and has its end portion reduced to form trunnions or spindles 9' which are circular infcrossv section and the extremities of the shaft further reduced to form stems I0 which are rectangular in cross section but of appreciably smaller dimensions than thebody portion of the shaft between the side members. A'Ihe spindles 9 extend through circular openings Il formed through the neck portions of the side members and since the spindles are circular in cross section and pass through circular openings the shaft will be rotatably mounted. By reducing the shaft to form the spindles, shoulders I2 are provided about inner ends of the spindles for engaging inner surfaces of the side members and preventing the shaft from shifting longitudinally between the side members. Therefore, the shaft will be maintained in its proper position between the side members, and blades I3 which are carried by the stems I0 will be prevented from striking the side members or the heads of the screws 4 during rotation of the shaft. These blades are formed of metal and disposed upon the stems in crossed relation to each other, as clearly shown in Figure 2, where they are held in place by a pin I4 passed through each of the stems. In view of the fact that the openings in the blade through which the stems pass are rectangular and of such dimensions that they snugly receive the stems, the blades will be held in `their proper crossed relation to each other and prevented from having turning movement relative to the shaft. The end' portions of each blade are enlarged; as shown at I5, and twisted so that they are pitched similar f will be created. A strong cord I6 has one end portion passed through an opening l1 formed diametrically through the shaft midway the length thereof and knotted, as shown at I8, in order that the cord will be rmly anchored to the shaft. This cord is loosely engaged through a staple I9 driven into the rear cross bar 3 and at its free end carries a ball 20 which serves as a hand-hold and also constitutes an abutment limiting winding of the cord upon the shaft.

When this toy is in use, it is set upon a oor, a table or the like with the cord wound upon the shaft. The hand-hold or ball 2U is grasped and pull exerted to unwind the cord from the shaft and thus impart rotary movement to the shaft. Pull is not continued until the cord is entirely unwound but ceases when the cord is approximately unwound for two-thirds or threequarters of its length. Therefore, rotation of the shaft can be continued by momentum and the cord will be unwound for the remainder of its length and then rewound about the shaft. In view of the fact that the operator continues to hold the ball 20, winding of the cord upon the shaft can be checked by a slight pulling action and pull again exerted as soon as the cord is substantially completely wound upon the shaft. It will thus be seen that the shaft may have rotary movement imparted to it first in one direction and then in an opposite direction by pull exerted upon the cord and each time the cord is unwound from the shaft rotation of the shaft will be continued by momentum and the cord rewound thereon but in an opposite direction to that in which it was previously wound about the shaft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a toy, a frame having parallel spaced side membersformed with depending front and real' supporting legs whereby said frame may be positioned to stand on a surface, front and rear cross bars extending horizontally between front and rear portions of said side members, said front portion having laterally alined openings formed therein and in vertical spaced relation to the front cross bar, a shaft extending between the side members and having reduced end portions journaled through the openings in the side members, said end portions projecting from opposite sides of the frame and terminating in reduced extremities, blades mounted upon the reduced extremities of said shaft to turn therewith, means for holding the blades on the shaft, a guide carried on the rear cross bar, an actuating cord secured at one end to said shaft between the side members, said cord being wound upon the shaft and having a portion extending rearwardly from the shaft over the rear cross'bar and through said guide, and means carried by the rear end of said cord and constituting a nger grip, said means serving to limit forward movement of the free rear end of the cord through the guide.

JOHN T. GLIDEWELL. 

